Happiness within Darkness
by Theonewhodidnotdoit
Summary: "The first few rays of grey, muted sunlight of the city day shone through the near eternal cover of clouds. They swept over a sprawling, amorphous urban mass, glinting off tattoo shop signs and ventilation shafts. Old brick buildings began to stir as their inhabitants awoke to the next day of their lives, to walk the streets, do their jobs and keep their heads down." AU. Fourshot.
1. Chapter 1

**Happy in the Dark Chapter 1**

**Hello, everyone! Just a short two/three-shot here, but I'm warming up for a full-length AT story at some point in the future, so stay tuned for more.**

**Now… I got this idea whilst daydreaming about fight scenes in the aforementioned planned bigger fic. I'm not sure exactly why. Maybe because I recently read quite a few angsty fics or I saw that meme where Finn's a kid in a coma dreaming of Ooo. I should stop googling stuff….**

**I'm going to get on with it. See you at the bottom of the page!**

The first few rays of grey, muted sunlight of the city day shone through the near eternal cover of clouds. They swept over a sprawling, amorphous urban mass, glinting off tattoo shop signs and ventilation shafts. Old brick buildings began to stir as their inhabitants awoke to the next day of their lives, to walk the streets, do their jobs, and keep their heads down.

Little more than half an hour later, the soft light of dawn shone onto crowded streets, where people shunted and grumbled and jostled with each other for space on the worn pavement. Every so often, a car would attempt to pass, and would eventually be allowed through, followed by a torrent of curses. Drunks stirred, stalls opened up, and the humdrum day-to-day of life in New Operoano, referred to as Ooo by its citizens, began.

There was very little happiness in this place. It was life stripped to the bare bones. Crime ran rampant, but in such a way that no one noticed. Gangs owned every inch of land, and no one even knew if the police existed anymore. In this city, you got by. Nothing more, nothing less. If you found a body in the gutter one morning, with initials of the local gang carved into its chest, hell, it wasn't your problem. Chuck it in the river and be done with it. They said that a place like this never really left you. Even the few who had bolstered their guts enough to leave the wretched place behind and found something more elsewhere never forgot it. Grey skies, grey buildings, grey morals. Endless. Inescapable.

Even the gang bosses hated it there. But it was all they had.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

At about nine, in a small terraced house on top of a little greasy spoon café, a crumpled baby-blue duvet shifted as its occupant began to wake up. A deep, sleepy groan emanated from the pile of fabric, and a light-skinned head poked out of the top, its face yawning and blinking away sleep.

It was not a particularly young face, no less than twenty-five, with a chiselled jaw and slight stubble, but yet strangely unburdened by life's grind, unlike practically everyone else in the city. Long blonde hair that would have fallen just below the shoulders was strewn all over the place, a messiness only matched by the room it occupied.

As he shook off sleep, the boyish-faced man sighed contentedly, and threw off the duvet with thin, yet strong and lithe arms. Kicking away a discarded pair of pants, his legs stepped down to the ground, and he stretched out his arms, yawning, then allowing them to fall to his knees. He blinked once or twice, then rubbed the sleep from his crystal blue eyes, almost fully awake now.

He glanced at his attire for the previous night, a simple pair of boxers and a once-white vest, and quickly sniffed his armpit. Contemplating for a moment, he shrugged, bundled a few scattered clothes together and made for the door.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

One quick shower later, the boy stepped out into the cramped landing, over a worn wooden floor and past two bedroom doors. He descended the stairs, his hair still a little wet, wearing a loose light blue t-shirt and grease-stained jeans. As he stepped down, a familiar melody wafted into his ears, accompanied by a delectable smell. A wide, childish grin broke out across his face, and he quickened his pace, jumping down the last few old steps onto a brown tiled floor.

He looked up, seeing the kitchen of the greasy spoon his brother ran. Across the counter, a few customers were already there, waiting with visible anticipation for their locally-famed breakfast. At the back of the kitchen, the chef leant against a table, stirring a big bowl of batter and humming a tune to himself. He stuck a finger in, tasting the mixture, and gave a small, satisfied smile. Perfect. He looked up, noticing the blue boy, and the smile broke out into a grin.

"Finally awake, eh, Finn?" Finn smiled back and shook his head.

"Nah, man. Still asleep. You're totally dreaming."

"Hah! Yeah, right."

"Yup, Jake's having a dream where the awesomest brother in the world comes down and talks to him for twenty seconds. Best dream ever, right dude?" Jake laughed, and put down the bowl of batter. He offered his fist, and Finn bumped it with his own.

They set about the kitchen, getting ingredients together for the breakfast rush, both for themselves and the customers. The tables began to fill, and the atmosphere got lighter. Jake looked over the counter at the assembled people, and felt a tiny flicker of happiness, something he rarely truly felt, as did many people in the city. Sure, they smiled and laughed with each other, but it was just a way of keeping afloat, really. He loved his job because he got to make people forget their problems for a second or two while they ate the greatest food ever conceived by man.

The two brothers worked in perfect sync, Finn frying bacon, Jake whisking up more batter. In next to no time, Finn rattled out a trolley and handed them out to hungry customers, amid much cheering.

"Thanks, Finn! Thanks Jake!"

"You guys rule!"

"Worth the wait. So worth the wait."

With the crowd pacified, Finn and Jake sat down in a few chairs behind the counter, smiling. Jake looked over to Finn, who looked out over the tables. They were a great team. True family. Maybe not biologically, but you would be hard pressed to find siblings closer than them. Jake had short black hair, dark, mixed-race skin and wide eyes, looking almost nothing like Finn, but anyone who spent at least a little while around them that that was only skin deep. A small photo frame of them as kids, with another brother and their parents hung on the wall, a reminder that they never needed, but others might. Through thick and thin, they were inseparable, even through everything that had gone on in their lives. That was still going on in their lives…

Jake shook his head, refusing to let the darkness ruin his euphoric moment. Times like this were what he lived for. Finn didn't need them. He was never down, perhaps the only one in the whole city to be like that. Ironic, given his job…

There they were again. And this time, he couldn't escape it Finn would be leaving for his real 'work' pretty soon. The gloom must have shown on his face, because Finn was suddenly shaking him by the shoulder.

"You okay, man? You look bummed."

"No, Finn, I'm fine." He lied. "Look, I'm just-" He stalled, unable to explain what he was thinking about to Finn. He wouldn't understand. Not understanding was what made him so useful to his employers…

A doorbell rang behind them. The delivery door. Jake jumped up, eager to escape the conversation, saying he'd get it.

He ran over, opening the door. Behind it was a small Asian girl with neon green hair and a delivery company uniform, holding a massive cardboard box. A small moped leant against the wall behind her. She smiled at him.

"Hey, Jake!" She said in a cutesy Korean accent.

"Hey, BMO!" He replied. "How's it going?" She handed him the box and leant against the wall, stretching out her arms. He put it on a nearby worktop and turned back to her.

"Pretty good. I got an apartment now. Thanks again for putting me up here for a while."

"No probs. How's Whatshisface… Er… Bubble?" BMO giggled.

"He's fine. I think he's working with NEPTR at the computer workshop at the moment. He says it's interesting."

"Cool. I-" Jake stopped as he heard the shop front door slam open. He turned, and BMO peered over his shoulder, looking at the source of the disturbance. All was suddenly very quiet in the café.

Standing in the doorway were three men, all in heavy studded leather jackets and spray tanned to a ridiculous extent. Across their fronts was emblazoned: **"HOT DAWGZ". **The leader looked around the room through dark sunglasses, smoothing back a greasy pompadour. He waltzed up to the counter, his two friends following, shoving a few people out of the way.

Jake turned back to BMO, his face suddenly serious. He'd seen enough of the city in his youth to know what was going to happen. She nodded and grabbed her moped, and Jake shut the door, returning to the counter, where Finn sat, looking blankly at the three intruders.

Three dozen pairs of eyes watched the three waltz up to the counter, as if they relished the attention. The leader leant on the counter, looking around the place. Jake scowled at him.

"Nice joint you got here." He said in a whining, nasal voice. He spat on the floor, and a trace of a frown began to form on Finn's face. Jake replied to the man.

"Yeah. It is. And you're ruining it." The man grinned, straightening up. He took a deep breath.

"You know why we're here. You're in Hotdog territory, pay up your protection money." Jake bristled.

"I don't pay that stuff. Never have, never will."

"Wrong. You start now. Pay up, or do we have to take it?" Jake leant over the counter, putting his face inches from his enemy's. He almost growled out the words.

"Does the name 'Jake the Ripper' mean anything to you?" The man continued smiling obnoxiously.

"That name hasn't meant anything to anyone for a long, time, old dog. You know you're not going back. You're just like this lot now." He waved a hand over his shoulder at the captivated audience. "So pay up, or we smash this place."

Jake looked into the sunglasses of his foe, and knew his bluff had been called. He was right. He wasn't going back to that life. Ever. Not now he had Lady and little Jake Jr on the way. He had to keep them safe. No matter what.

He was about to reach for the till, when Finn suddenly and violently stood up, his chair clattering to the tiled floor. His frown had grown now, still only at the level of annoyed, but anyone who really knew Finn knew that that was only the beginning.

"Guys, not cool. You can't just bust in here and take our loot. That's bad biz, man. Get out of here before I donk you all on the head." A raised eyebrow rose above the leader's sunglasses, then he laughed. A deep, mocking laugh. He looked to his cronies, who joined in. Finn watched them, his frown teetering on the edge of angry. Jake watched his brother in mute dread. This was not going to end well. The leader sobered up, and looked at Finn.

"You retarded or somethin', kid?"

"No." More laughing.

"Then why don't you let the grownups take care of this and go play in the corner?" More mocking laughter.

"'Cause you're trying to take our money." No more laughter.

Quick as a flash, the man had a knife to Finn's throat. Jake froze. Finn looked straight ahead, face impassive.

"Damn right we're taking your money. And you're gonna give it to us or I'm gonna gut you both."

Jake took on the role of peacemaker.

"Okay man, take it easy. I-"

"Shut up, Jake. I'm talking to your buddy here." Jake sighed and hung his head.

"I wasn't talking to you…" He mumbled.

Before he even saw it move, Finn had the man's knife-wielding hand in his. The man blinked and tried to push the knife towards Finn's neck, but it did not move. As if it were the easiest thing in the world, Finn moved the hand away, now over the counter. He began to squeeze.

Instantly, the leader screamed. There was a terrible cracking sound as the bones in his hand buckled, and he started screaming mercy. Finn looked at him impassively, his head tilted sideways, as if curious at the man wriggling like a fish on a line before him. The two thugs behind him stared in shock, then took out and brandished weapons of their own. Jake shook Finn by the shoulder, begging him to let go. Finn glanced to Jake, oblivious to his victim's suffering, and let him go.

He collapsed to the floor, cradling his mangled and bloodied hand. He carried on screaming, now less in pain, more in anger.

"Sick 'im, boys!" He yelped, and they did just that.

One, the burlier of the two, grabbed Finn by the scruff of his neck and yanked him over the counter, while the other lunged with a knife. Finn's face barely changed, shoving the grabber in the chest and batting the other's knife-hand away, following it up with a swift punch to the face. Most of the customers had thrown money on the table and left by that point, so the tables were empty. The burly one fell onto one, knocking it over, while the knife-wielder just reeled, a little blood dripping from his nose. He swung again, and Finn caught him by the wrist, bending it away and uppercutting him in the gut. He dropped the knife and doubled over, and Finn brought a knee up in his face, sending him sprawling onto the floor like his leader.

The bigger one groaned, propping himself up on his arms, before Finn jumped on him, knocking him back down. Straddling the man's leather-bound chest, Finn brought his fist up, grabbing his leather collar, and began to beat his assailant senseless. By the time Jake made it over the counter, the man's face was a babbling mush.

"Finn! Stop!" He called out urgently, trying to pull his brother away. Finn stopped for a moment and looked up confusedly.

"But they were gonna mess us up! That means I can donk 'em up good. PB said it's self-defence or something." PB. Princess Bubblegum. Bonnibel Bubblegum. One of the biggest crime lords in the city. The name certainly turned heads. The writhing man suddenly looked up, his sunglasses fallen away to reveal pure, naked fear.

"Shit, guys! We're playing with real fire here, come on, up and out!"

He tried to get to his feet, but was stopped when Jake planted a foot on his stomach. He looked up at the man before him. When he walked in, he had just looked like a greasy thirty-something manual worker in a stained old apron. One of the masses. Ordinary. Intimidatable. But now, he seemed to grow in size, dominating his view and blocking out all light. Suddenly, he believed the legends of Jake the Ripper. Finn got off his target.

"Don't ever… Let me see you, or anyone like you, here… Ever again." Jake growled out. The orange coward nodded furiously and was released. He scrambled to his feet, followed by his friends, one hunched over, the other holding his nose and glancing back at the two. They left, and for a second, all was silent.

Jake sighed, and started righting the tables and chairs, dropping the leftover money into his apron pocket. The few remaining customers mumbled apologies and handed him a few reconciliatory notes, hurriedly walking out the door as well. Jake sighed again. They'd be back in a few days. Probably. Hopefully Finn would bring in enough to tide them over for the next week or so.

He turned back to Finn, who was smiling his indelible smile. It always made Jake feel a little better, even when he was acutely aware of all the garbage around him. Even after seeing what Finn had just done to the three men. Even when he knew that Finn did much, much worse things every day. The smile was a little ray of happiness and sunshine, probably the only real one in the whole goddamn city. It was why their little café had gotten so popular. 'The Treehouse' was one of the best little places to get a breakfast in Ooo because it gave people a feeling that they couldn't get anywhere else.

"We got those guys pretty good, didn't we?" Said Finn. Jake smiled at him wearily. So much can-do and enthusiasm it was almost infectious. If there were just a few more people like Finn in this world…

"Yeah. We did. Yay. Come on, help me clean up."

They set about work again in the deserted café, mopping up spilt bacon pancakes and jars of syrup. The morning shift was ending, and with it was Jake's daily time with Finn. He'd have to go to work soon. Lady would come over, sure, but he could never quite shake off his worry for Finn. He could handle himself, definitely. And he wasn't working for the worst in the business. But still. There was only so much a kid like Finn could take.

Kid. Heh. He was freaking twenty-five. But still acted like a kid. Even when he was crushing a guy's hand like it was made of tissue paper and twigs. That was what made him so useful to his employer. It was probably also the reason either of them were still alive. A quick, strong fighter that didn't ask questions or think about what he was doing. And a great morale booster to boot.

Jake swore to Lady he wasn't involved in his old life before. And he was telling the truth. But he still had to look out for Finn. If he got signed over to the wrong crowd, started doing a little too well in his 'missions'… He could get hurt. And Jake wouldn't let that happen.

Twenty minutes passed in the blink of an eye. Finn had to go. He picked up a green rucksack, and walked out the door, waving goodbye to Jake. He waved back, smiling sadly. He wondered if Finn would ever really grow up. Maybe get a thought about the morality of his job into his thick skull and break it off. Get a girl. Climb the tiers. Jake sniggered a little. That was probably taking it a bit far.

As he watched Finn disappear into the crowd, he felt the little ray of sunshine wink out, and the darkness of the city flow back in.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

**Always remember to review guys! Follow if you liked it so far, and if you didn't, then I understand. I thought it would have come out better. But then again, maybe that's my inherent British self-hatred talking. **

**I've got patchy internet at the moment, but I'll hopefully have the next one up soon. Please check out my other stuff if you're a fan of what they're about, and I'll see you all later!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Happiness within Darkness Chapter 2**

Finn walked, smiling all the way, through the quiet mid-morning streets. It being Saturday, most people were at home, and that meant ne could saunter, rather than shove his way through the city. He liked it better that way.

He turned a corner into a dark alleyway, stopping in front of the walkway's single wooden door. He knocked twice quickly, and a slot slid open, a pair of blank, yellow-tinged eyes peeking out. Finn smiled at their owner.

"Morning, BG." The eyes blinked, and the guard replied.

"Hey, Finn."

"Could you let me in?"

"Oh, right. Sure." There came the sound of numerous locks and chains being undone, and the door opened to reveal a large, pale-skinned man with short brown hair and an expressionless face. He wore a yellow jacket that was too small for him, emblazoned with the number "059". He stepped aside, and Finn walked into the building. He soon passed an identical man, only numbered "071". He nodded to the man, who nodded back and carried on.

As Finn made his way through the complex of plainly plastered corridors, he saw more and more of the men, carrying boxes, moving furniture or standing around, each with a distinct number. He called them the Banana Guards, as they looked yellow, and, well, they guarded stuff. They were pretty dumb though, and Finn knew _he_ wasn't that bright to begin with. PB had once explained about them to him, that they were clones or something, but he'd gotten lost and bounced out halfway through.

Soon he found his destination, an ornate wooden door, noticeably different from the cheap painted plywood ones elsewhere. He didn't knock, but looked up at the corner of the room, where shadows concealed a CCTV camera. He smiled and waved, and a few seconds later the door unlocked. He stepped inside.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Princess Bonnibel Bubblegum, so called because of the way she ruled most of the city, swivelled in her chair to face Finn as he entered. She sat at a thick mahogany desk, poring over countless papers cluttering her workspace and tinkering with an array of tiny devices. Her long, bubblegum-pink dyed hair was tied up in a ponytail behind her, and her eyes were wide from lack of sleep. She looked young, about 29 or 30, but Jake had once told Finn that she was actually really old, like 64, and just had a really good plastic surgeon.

"Sup, Prubs." Finn offered, bringing the edge of a smile to her face. He was the only one who dared to call her that. Everyone else was either too scared or too respectful to do it. But Finn didn't get scared. Apart from an irrational phobia of the sea, he was oblivious to anything that could cause him harm, choosing to either just fight it or not think about it. It made her a tiny bit guilty to think about it, but it was one of the many aspects of him that were useful. She widened the smile, greeting him.

"Hello, Finn. Good to see you. Are you alright? I heard you had some trouble at The Treehouse this morning." She prided herself on knowing everything that it was useful to know. Finn snorted.

"Yeah, some dudes busted in and tried to take out loot, but me and Jake sent 'em running." PB nodded, and tried not to think about the scene. Last time she had seen Finn's… _handiwork_… first hand she had been violently sick. She would, however, be sending a stern message to The Hot Dogs.

"Okay. I'm glad everything's all right. Now, your job for today." She shifted some stacks of paper, knocking various trinkets off the desk. She cursed softly and grabbed a folder from one pile. Emblazoned across it in stencilled letters were two words: **Flame King.**

She opened the folder and plucked out a photo. It showed a large, round, middle-aged man, stern of expression and red of face. He dressed in a dark grey suit, and had thinning, swept-back black hair. The photo was probably taken in secret, as he wasn't looking into the camera at all, but to somewhere off to his side. His eyes were clearly visible, though. And they were quite unnerving. Twin pools of fiery crimson, blazing with contempt at everything and everyone around him.

Finn looked at the photo and scratched his chin.

"I think I've seen him before…" PB nodded.

"You have. At the last Ooo grand meeting. You were guarding me, remember? He didn't talk much, but he is a little bit hard to miss."

"Okay… Who is he, though?"

"He calls himself the Flame King. I don't know his real name, but it doesn't matter since he never uses it. He rules the West quarter of town. He mainly operates in specified arson, bribery and assassination. The reason I'm showing you this is because he owes me something, and you're going to get it for me." Finn smiled happily, and smacked a fist into his other hand.

"Cool! What is it?" PB shook her head.

"Just some territorial documents, don't worry about it. However, do be prepared for a fight. Flame King has some of the most highly-trained guards in the city. They might be a bit of a challenge if they put up any resistance."

"I like a challenge."

"Still, I'd feel better if you took these." She rummaged around in a desk drawer, and pulled out a bulletproof vest. "Wear this under your shirt." Finn took it, and she rummaged around again, this time pulling out what looked like the handle of a blood-red sword. Finn frowned, and she pressed a button on the hilt. Instantly the blade leapt out, growing to a full metre, light glinting off of its crimson surface. Finn's eyes shot open as she handed it to him. He held it gently, and she smiled at his incredulousness.

"It's a synthetically augmented semi-biological hemophilious metallic polymer with a monomolecular cutting edge. **(A/N: coughcoughdemonbloodcoughcough**.**)** Use it well." Finn didn't look up.

"Cool…" He breathed.

Putting the gifts away in his backpack, Finn thanked PB, took a slip of paper with the Flame King's address, and left. PB sat back in her chair, allowing herself a brief break. She smiled a lot more than usual when Finn was around. Not that she liked him, of course, Glob no! She was way, way, _way_ too old for him. Everybody smiled more around him. Even the Banana Guards, cloned, monosyllabic, blank-faced morons as they were. Perhaps it was the childishness. Perhaps it helped to let everyone forget the horrors of this city, however briefly. She bet Finn didn't even know he was doing it. He was just so… innocent. Which was actually rather chilling, considering what he had done and was currently on his way to do.

She sighed. Sending Finn on these missions always made her a little guilty. He was a kid trapped in the body of a skilled mercenary, and thus that was all he knew how to do. He made a lot of people feel good, and then a lot of others feel really, _really_ bad. Kind of like herself, really. She was dedicated to making this wretched place into a respectable city of sorts. She didn't deal in drugs, only had the deserving assassinated, and her ruthless search for more territory was only so she could eventually introduce a system of law. She was cleaning up the streets, slowly but surely, and Finn was helping.

But what would he do when it was all over? He'd work with Jake at the café, but he'd get bored. Take up martial arts? No, he wasn't disciplined enough. Glob, he might start attacking people for the fun of it. He didn't understand death in the same way as others, which is what made him ideal for these missions. After she had got what she wanted… She had no idea what she was going to do with Finn. But whatever happened, she was going to make sure he got what he deserved. The best thing she could offer, for everyone.

Unfortunately, that might even be a quick, painless death for him. Responsibility demands sacrifice… and she had the greatest responsibility of all.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Finn walked through the near-empty streets, his face buried in a map. PB's handwriting wasn't the best, and he was now walking in circles around one city block, trying to figure out if she had meant 19 or 70 on the street. He sighed and put the map away. The buildings in this part of the city were quite modern, metal and glass glinting in the midday light. He looked at the building in front of him, then the alternative down the road. He picked the biggest one, and set off towards it.

Coming closer, his instinct told him he was right. A few too many CCTV's and the presence of an intently lurking guard outside the revolving door gave it away. He felt the bulk of the bulletproof vest under his shirt, hoping it wasn't too obvious. Last time he had fought people with guns he had gotten hit in the hip, which hurt, and had had to break everyone's arms, which had probably hurt them. They weren't nice people, though, so it was fine.

He stopped in front of the guard, looking amiably into his eyes. The security officer looked back with a mixture of confusion and annoyance. It was almost the end of his shift.

"Beat it, kid." He growled, straightening up to try and scare Finn away. Finn did nothing, still smiling, which unnerved the guard slightly.

"I need to see Flame King. Is this the place?" The guard's eyes widened, and then he laughed.

"Scram, kid. No-one gets in without being invited in."

"But I'm here with a message from Pri-"

"I said beat it." The guard growled, all mirth gone from his face. He reached for a baton on his belt. "Before I beat you."

Five seconds later, the guard was slumped on the floor, holding his boing-loings, as Finn called them, as the messenger walked through the door. Groaning in pain, the guard reached for his walkie-talkie.

"Code Red!" He moaned. "Code Red! We have an intruder! Notify the King and dispatch the first defensive squad!"

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Flame King sat in what he affectionately called his throne room, really a meeting room for his more important clients and subordinates. He had heard of the intruder already, and had retreated deeper into the building for safety reasons. No need to get caught up in the conflict. Not that he expected it to last long. His defensive quads were army veterans, well-armed and knew the building like the backs of their hands.

Relaxed in the dimly lit, maroon-walled room, he pulled a cigarette lighter out of his suit pocket. He didn't smoke, but his whole family were slightly pyromaniacal, and he was no exception. It was why he had named his 'family business' the Fire Kingdom. He flicked the flame on, staring at it for quite some time, until his pocket radio alerted him with a small beep. He pulled it out, fully expecting the intruder's capture, but was surprised to find the voice on the other side ragged and breathless.

"Sir…"

"What is it?" He demanded, his voice booming.

"Primary defensive quad lieutenant Anderson here, Sir. Commander Wilkins is unconscious and half of my team is bleeding profusely. The intruder got to us, sir." Flame King bristled. This was unexpected, not to mention unnerving.

"Did you use firearms?"

"No, sir, just batons. He was too fast, though. God, he was so fast…"

"Are any of you dying?" He asked. The men had expensive life insurance policies.

"No, sir. Just unconscious and bleeding. He was using a sword, sir. He cut our friggin' weapons in half and then knocked us out, sir!" FK began to frown.

"Relay tactical information to Secondary squad, and then call the infirmary."

"Sir, yes, Sir." The radio cut out, and FK set the radio on the table in front of him. With one hand he gripped his chair's armrest, and with the other he flicked his lighter open and closed. Secondary squad would take more effective weapons. Armour. They would be prepared. This would all be over soon.

Five minutes later, he heard the radio beep again. He hesitated for a second, then grabbed it and raised it to his ear.

"Yes?" He said sternly.

"Sir… It's Commander Innes of Secondary squad." The man was noticeably pained. "I'm… I've been stabbed. And so have two more of my men. The rest of us have broken bones. The intruder got past us, sir. I'm sorry." FK took a deep breath.

"Call the infirmary. Do not die, commander, that's an order. You're an expensive man."

"Yes sir… Uhh…" The man gave another grunt of pain and the radio went silent once more.

The King put down the radio and interlocked his fingers. Whoever this intruder was, he was skilled. And definitely had an intention. What was it? Was it an assassin? No, an assassin would have been more subtle. A thief? No, subtler still. And not in the daytime. A kidnapper? Possibly. Many people knew he had a small weakness in his daughter. She was all he had left of his family, and he kept her as protected as possible. Well, if his final line of defence, Tertiary squad, failed, it would seem he would need to defend himself. He picked up the radio and made a call himself.

"Honey? Yes, it's me. Make your way down to the throne room. There's an intruder and I fear for your safety. Okay. Yes. Love you." He put down the radio on the table, and walked to a nearby cabinet. He opened it, and pulled from the top a sleek, silvery revolver. He checked the chambers. Fully loaded.

The radio beeped once more and he jumped. He rushed over to it, and pressed the receive button.

"Sir… the intruder… he's…" The last two calls had been in pain, but this man… He seemed in _agony_.

"Yes?"

"He… he cut off my hand, sir… and he's on his wa-"

The door opened with a crash as it was kicked down. The King span around, pointing his revolver at his would-be assailant. The man was sweating, and grinning a terrible, breathlessly euphoric grin, showing he had enjoyed what he had just done. He held a blood-red sword in one hand, and from what it was dripping onto the carpet, he wasn't sure whether it had been red to begin with. Small splatters covered a blue shirt and jeans, testaments to his skill. The man straightened up, ready to speak. Flame King didn't give him a chance.

He gritted his teeth, and fired all six rounds into the man's chest, roaring in an adrenaline rush. The man staggered back, holding his chest and panting. FK's finger still closed on the trigger, trying to will more ammo into existence. The man straightened up, plucking at a hole in his shirt and removing a small piece of metal. FK's eyes noticed the artificial bulk under his shirt. A bulletproof vest. Damn.

To his surprise, the man did not rush towards him, instead sheathing his sword in a belt loop and smiling at him. Had he not been a gory sight to behold, it would have seemed friendly.

"Hello, Flame King." He said. "My name is Finn. I am an envoy of Princess Bubblegum, and I have a message for you." The King's eyes widened. A messenger? _A messenger!_

"A messenger?!" He yelled. "What kind of messenger breaks into my home and nearly kills my guards?!" Finn blinked.

"Me." He said. "They attacked me first, anyway. Or, were going to."

Flame King blinked, taking time to process his new information. Princess Bubblegum? That devious witch… Doubtless she was after the deeds to Grasslands Park. In fairness, he had been less than forthcoming about his annexing of them, but sending this man seemed like overkill.

"I presume you want the deeds?" He said. The man blinked, then nodded. Sighing at the medical costs this incident was going to incur, he reached back into the cabinet for the framed papers.

From behind him came the creak of a door, the opposite one to the intruder's, followed by a squeak and a slam. He span around, holding the deed.

"Honey? Is that you?" The man Finn walked to the door. "No, don't you…"

Finn paid him no attention. As the door had shut, he had caught the barest glimpse of fiery red hair, and now his childish curiosity was piqued. He opened the door, peering round it, and saw a frightened young woman trying to hide behind a pot plant.

"Hey…" He said soothingly. "Hey, it's okay. I'm not gonna hurt you…"

Tentatively, the woman stepped out from behind her arboreal shelter, and faced Finn. She had long, flowing red hair, a small, feminine face and was clutching a thick book to her chest. She wore an orange t-shirt and a modest black skirt, and looked terrified.

Finn had to stop himself staring. Breaking the trance he was in, he tried speech.

"Um… Hey, I guess." He hazarded.

"Hey…" She said softly.

"What are you-" Flame King's voice came from behind Finn, and pulled him back into the room by his backpack. He span and faced the indignant crime lord.

"Whoa, dude, chill out."

"No! I will not! Take the deeds and leave! N- Darling, get out of here!"

The young woman had poked her head round the door, trying to figure out what was happening, now cringed away at her father's words. Finn frowned at the man.

"Hey, man. Not cool. You don't own her." FK rotated to look at the man angrily, and the young woman seemed to gain confidence, stepping fully into the room and loosening her grip on the book. Finn smiled at her, and she smiled back. FK looked from one to the other indignantly, then waved the deeds in Finn's face, trying to break the eye contact.

"Hello? Leave please!" Finn stashed the papers away, and looked back to the woman. She looked up from his outfit and asked:

"Whose blood is that?" Finn looked down at himself, then back up.

"Oh, yeah. That's from the guard guys. They weren't very nice people." She wrinkled her nose up in a way that almost had Finn staring at her all over again.

"I hate them. They're so _rude_!" FK looked to his daughter in surprise.

"Flamme! Please!" Finn's eyebrows rose, and both of the youths ignored the steaming parent beside them.

"Flamme, huh? I'm Finn. Nice to meet you." He smiled hopefully and she giggled. FK, by now, had had enough.

"Out. Now." He fumed, fists clenched. Finn backed down under his gaze and waved goodbye to the two of them. FK watched him go, then turned back to his daughter. "Flamme Pandora Ignis, do not try my patience like that again." His daughter looked at the floor, muttering affirmation quietly. "Good." Said her father. "Now, to your room." She stomped off, and Flame King was left alone.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Flamme sat by her window, looking out over her tiny sliver of the other world outside with a look of deep melancholy on her face. How long had it been since she had been outside? Not since she was… Four or five. Probably. Twenty years cooped up inside that building. She hated it. But she knew why her father did it. Ever since her mother died… He had been so worried about losing her. He was so callous to everything else, but he cared so much about her. It was bittersweet. If he could only see what he had done to her… A life like this was no life at all. And she didn't dare run away. Not alone.

Which is why she had been so interested by the intruder, Finn. Someone new, someone different, a new face in this prison with no one but her father and her guards. Sure, he was covered in blood and seemed a little dumb, but he was _new_… and a little hot, as well, but above all, new!

The city looked back at her as she stared at it, and she wanted to see more than just this tiny bit. So much more. She opened a window, leaning out ever so slightly so the wind swept her hair and the coolness touched her skin. She tried to crane her neck to see more, but was unsuccessful, seeing only the ornaments on the side of the building. She turned to the other side, trying again, and was surprised to see Finn sitting on one, halfway up a building, a hundred feet in the air.

She ducked back inside and momentarily debated talking to him, an argument that lasted all of a second. Sticking her head out again, she coughed, trying to attract the man's attention without startling him off of his precarious position. He didn't notice initially, seemingly deep in thought. She coughed again, louder this time, hoping to be heard above the wind. This time he noticed.

His head turned to look for the source of the noise, and quickly found it.

"Whoa!" He said. It looked like her sudden appearance startled him more than the great height he was at. "Uh… Hi." He attempted.

"Hi, Finn." She smiled at him, though it might have been difficult to see with the wind tossing her hair around. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh! Um… Well, I guess I like high places. Helps me think about stuff." He glanced away from her, possibly a little embarrassed.

"What were you thinking about, then?"

"Uh… Well… Um…" Flamme laughed, and gave him another smile.

"Do you want to come inside?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, sure!" He leapt off his perch, making Flamme's heart jump, and caught her ledge. She offered a hand, and helped him up.

They sat in her room for a while, talking about this and that. Eventually the subject of their childhood was broached, and the two each spun their own tale. Finn's abandonment and adoption by Jake's family, followed by Flamme's imprisonment. Finn was outraged when he heard that.

"What?! You've never been outside in twenty years? That's insane!"

"Well, yeah, I guess."

"Why don't you just tell your Dad you want to go?" She snorted sadly.

"There's no way he's going to let me out. He's too worried about me. I guess he dislikes everybody else so much that he doesn't notice how I feel."

"That's sad…" Agreed Finn. They avoided each other's gazes for a little while, then Finn muttered something Flamme didn't quite hear.

"What?"

"I said, you could come and live with us for a while, you know, me and Jake." She seemed shocked into silence, and Finn carried on. "If you want to. You know. Jake would be cool with it. And I guess you could see a bunch of the other stuff in the ci-Oof!" Flamme tackled him in a massive hug, squeezing him so tight he could barely breathe.

"I'd love to! Thankyouthankyouthankyou! Oh, what am I gonna bring, when are we gonna go…? How are we gonna go?" She detached and looked hopefully at Finn.

"Uhh…" He stalled, glancing around. "We could…" He looked to the window. No. She probably couldn't climb like he could. He looked to the door. No chance. They'd be spotted before they could get ten feet from the door. He saw a ventilator shaft. It was pretty wide, and PB had once told him that despite it being a cliché in movies, it sometimes actually worked, even on tall buildings. "How about that?" He offered. She followed his gaze, and a massive grin lit up her features. Finn looked down at her, and a flower of happiness bloomed in his heart. An even bigger one formed in hers.

Before he could react, she hopped up slightly and gave him a quick peck on the lips, then dashing off to pack a small case.

"Go ahead and get going." She said, not looking up from her packing. "I'll catch up with you in a minute."

Finn stood there, stunned at what had just happened. Then he got up and did as she said, pulling the grate off the entrance to the shaft and taking off his pack so he could squeeze in. He looked quickly back at her, and she smiled back at him.

He set off, and less than a minute later, Flamme followed.

**Yes, I know everyone's a little bit OOC. Except maybe PB. But still. I think crime lords are generally more caring parents than monarchs, so that's what I made FK be. Only way overprotective.**

**Now, only one left, and I'm planning on making it a bit warm and fuzzy. Stay tuned!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Happiness within Darkness Chapter 3**

At the bottom of the Fire Kingdom central headquarters, the lone guard had managed to crawl away from his position to recuperate, leaving no one there, everybody being still terrified of the mysterious intruder.

This was definitely good news for Finn and Flamme, who slid down the last few metres of ventilator shaft with all the poise and subtlety of an elephant, making an awful crash. Their exit, the final shaft cover, was kicked off, falling to the tarmac below. Finn wriggled out, standing and dusting off his clothes before helping Flamme with her exit.

She shook her head and fluffed her hair up, trying to dislodge dirt, then retrieved her suitcase and stood, looking around the courtyard. She took a deep breath, inwardly bouncing off the walls in ecstatic freedom. Another smile lit up her face as she realised that even if they were caught now, it would have been worth it just for the pure, unfettered feeling of it all.

She looked to Finn, who was politely waiting for her, and gave him another hug.

"Thanks again." She said, face pressed to his shoulder. He blushed a little.

"Don't worry about it." He replied, and she detached.

"So, where are we going first?" She asked, enthusiasm dripping from her voice. Finn thought for a moment.

"Well… We should probably get all your stuff back to my place, but it's a long walk… Plus I have to go dump some stuff over at PB's place… Oh, the park is on the way there, we could check that out!"

"Yes! Let's do that! Where is it?"

"About a half-mile down the road, then we go right, then there's an entrance. We can mess about and stuff then cut through to the other side of town."

"Okay! Race you there!" She tossed her suitcase over to him, and he stumbled forward as he caught it, while she sped of down the road, giggling. She was running pretty fast…

"No fair!" He shouted after her, shouldering both her bags before speeding after her, a smile on his face too.

As they left, they passed under one lone security camera.

In the security office of the building, two men sat before the wall of monitors showing the entire building. One had his feet up on the table, his hands clasped across a beer belly as he snored to himself. The other watched the two escapees run past the camera, and his eyebrows shot up. The boss was not going to like what he saw if he found this…

Quickly and discreetly, the man pulled up a keyboard and began typing. The screen showed a desktop, and two icons presented themselves. One was the building's intranet e-mail system. The other was the security footage folder. The man did not hesitate.

Click. Click. Click.

Within a minute, the file containing Finn and Flamme's escape was replaced with an uninteresting blank one, showing nothing but the tarmac.

Flambo B. Bitters sat back in his swivel chair, turning off the screen and glancing at his still-asleep colleague. He smiled to himself, placing his hands behind his head.

"Good luck to yous both." He grinned.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Finn rapidly managed to catch up with the redhead in front of him, despite his extra weight. Seeing he was gaining on her, an idea popped into her head. Stopping suddenly, she span around and leapt onto Finn, giving him yet another hug. He stumbled, but did not fall as he struggled to bring himself to a stop. Upon his halt he gently pried her off him, smiling awkwardly. A tramp on the opposite side of the road scoffed at them, and shuffled off down an alley, muttering.

"Uh… you're kind of huggy…" Finn stated, not knowing what else to say. Flamme blushed a little, and hugged her arms to her stomach, avoiding eye contact.

"Yeah… I know… It's just… I'm so _happy_! The wind, the sights, the sounds the smells, the space…! It's _wonderful_!" She gave him an embarrassed glance. "Sorry about them… I'll stop."

"No no! It's cool, it's cool." Finn quickly replied. A little too quickly, really. He was rewarded by another one of Flamme's joyous smiles.

"Thanks. Now, where's the park?" Finn looked around.

"Uh… It's in that direction, so-"

"Cool! We can cut through there!" Flamme interrupted, pointing at a nearby alley.

"Uh, no, we can't-" Finn tried, but too late. Flamme had already ran off down the alley. Finn gritted his teeth and instantly ran after her. Sure, he knew he was dumb, but not stupid. Rule one of living in Ooo. Never run down an alley unless you knew the people there liked you.

And obviously Flamme didn't know that.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Her head still swimming in ecstasy, Flamme ran down the dark passage without a care in the world. Her smile barely faltered when she reached the end, a damp brick-enclosed space, with three leather-bound men huddled and smoking. Angry mutterings rumbled through the air, abruptly stopping as the trio noticed the girl and turned to look at her. The smallest of the three grinned from behind dark sunglasses at her, stepping forward. Glancing over the suspicious man, Flamme noticed he had a bandaged hand.

"Hey, girl. You lost?" Flamme frowned.

"No. I just…"

"Maybe you should come with us…" With his unbandaged hand, he pulled out a knife, causing the young woman to freeze. "…Seeing as it looks like it would be good for you, right, boys?" Flamme's mind raced.

_Oh glob. OhglobohGlobohGlob. _Before she knew it, she was seized roughly by the wrist and pulled towards a door. Terror swamped her mind, and she could barely move for fright.

To her infinite relief, a voice cut through her thoughts:

"Hey! What the hell are you doing?"

The leader froze, his face contorting with anger, and he span around. Finn stood in the centre of the alley, casting a long shadow down the passage. He had his arms spread slightly in a combative stance, as if daring anyone to try and pass. The leader bared his teeth, snarling.

"You! You piece of…" He held up his arm, brandishing his injured hand. "Do you have any idea what you did to me? Now I'm stuck on lookout duty for a year 'cause I can't fight!" Finn's eyes widened with recognition at the orange-skinned man, but they quickly returned to normal.

"I don't care. You're a jerk." Finn didn't move. "Now let go of her, and get the math out of here." The man laughed, a cruel, sadistic chuckle.

"Oh, I don't think so, punk. First, I'm gonna get back at you, then I'm gonna have some fun."

Flamme cringed. Finn's muscles tightened, ready to spring.

For a second, no-one moved.

"Get 'im, guys!" The leader yelled to his subordinates. They charged forward, one pulling a butterfly knife from his pocket, the other a revolver. Finn sprang forward and rolled, jumping up into the gun-wielding thug's stomach. The man gasped and doubled over, Finn grabbing his hand and twisting it sharply. The man yelled in pain, releasing his grip on the weapon and tumbling to the floor. Finn plucked the pistol from his now limp grip, and turned it on the charging knife-wielder, firing a shot into each of his assailant's thighs. The man screamed and collapsed, and Finn turned back to the first, putting a bullet in his foot.

The entire fight took little more than ten seconds.

Stepping over the prone bodies, Finn pointed the gun at the third man, who quickly grabbed Flamme, holding her, a knife to the throat, in front of his body like a shield.

"Don't even twitch, or I cut her neck." He hissed. Finn squinted down the barrel of his stolen gun. He wasn't a good enough shot to take the guy out. He hated using guns anyway. When the man told him to put the gun down, he did so.

"Good. Now, what I'm gonna do is…" The smug man's drone faded into the background as Finn looked into Flamme's eyes. Hers were fixed on his, and she bore an expression of mixed shock and awe. His expression, however, had no pride. He had lost. He looked at her with great remorse, apologising without words.

_I try and give her the time of her life and she ends up like this in the first ten minutes. Glob, Flamme, I'm so sorry…_

He was on the verge of tears as the man indicated for him to kick the gun over, which he did. Flamme saw his hopelessness, and a sudden idea popped into her head.

Slowly, as her captor gloated, she reached into a hidden pocket and drew out a cigarette lighter. A family tradition, her dad had told her. She silently lit it, and reached around to the man's back, holding the tiny flame to the leather of his jacket. Finn watched her in amazement, but the man didn't even notice.

"Okay, I'm going to bend down and get the gun now…" He continued, barely even heard by the two others. With a lack of reaction, the man frowned. "What…?" Then he smelt it. Burning.

The heat reached his skin, and he roared in pain, his body spasming. Simultaneously, Flamme bit down on his wrist, making him drop the knife. He tore away from the pain, running down the street past a stunned Finn, collapsing into a puddle and flailing madly.

Wasting no time, Flamme scooped up the gun and stomped over to the prone man lying in the pool of dirty water. He looked up at her, suddenly finding himself staring down an ever-so slightly trembling barrel.

"Give me one good reason… Not to shoot you right now…" She panted. The man recoiled in terror and scrambled to his feet, running as fast as he could from the duo of deadly psychopaths behind him. Flamme dropped the gun and gave one of the other men, who were holding their bullet wounds and groaning, a kick. She looked around to Finn, who was staring at her.

She suddenly felt quite self-conscious. Did he think she was crazy? Or weird? Or evil? She had just threatened to shoot a guy, but he was a jerk, after all…

"Finn?" She tried, breaking the look of surprise on the young man's face as it became a smile.

"You're _awesome!_" He breathed. Her heart lifted, and she replied.

"So are you."

XXXXXXXXXXX

They wasted no time in getting to the park, leaving the men to call for their own help. They eventually found the gates, Finn holding them open and bowing, receiving a giggle and a flick on the forehead for his efforts.

They stepped inside the gates, and looked out over the immense grassy knolls. Being pretty much the only green space in the city, the Grasslands Park was immense to make up for it. It consisted of great rolling hills of grassy turf, dotted here and there by bushes and trees. At that moment, the sun decided to roll out from behind some clouds, brightening the surroundings to a beautiful emerald shine.

The timing literally could not have been better.

Flamme took a moment to stare at the landscape, eyes wide and glistening at its beauty. Then she raced off over them, once again, leaving Finn behind. He just stood there and smiled, happy that he had helped someone else be happy. Soon enough, however, she raced back, grabbing his hand and pulling him with her across the soft green ground.

"You _have _to show me around! It's so big, I can't believe it!" Finn thought for a moment, and tightened his grip on her hand, pulling her in a specific direction.

"You have to see this place. It's awesome." She grinned and kept pace, and they ran in companionable silence, save for the cooing of birds above.

They crested another hill, and Flamme saw what he had been talking about. A huge tree, looping and gnarled, with a set of irregular but sturdy-looking boxlike rooms arranged all over it. Ladders and tunnels connected them all, making it seem like less of a tree that someone had built a treehouse in, and more like one that someone had intended to live in. It was awesome. She looked to Finn.

"Did you…?"

"Huh? Oh, Nah. Me and Jake didn't make it. We don't know who did. It's been there for, like, forever. Marcy said she lived in it for a while, but… Yeah, it's pretty cool, right?"

"It's awesome." Flamme realised she had been using that word a lot that day. "Can we go inside?"

"Sure! There's some planks nailed to the trunk over on the left side, but watch out, the seventh one's kind of wobbly."

"Thanks!" She sped off towards it, a bundle of seemingly limitless energy. Finn shouldered the bags and followed, taking hold of the first plank and looking up. Immediately he averted his gaze, Flamme having already made it halfway up, whilst also wearing a dress. Finn squeezed his eyes shut. Off to the Vault with that one.

He took hold of the first plank, hauling himself up, only to hear a scape and a scream above him.

With one arm, he managed to catch the tumbling redhead, smiling as he continued the trip up with her in his arms. She was initially surprised, but it faded into gratitude.

"Thanks…"

"I told ya, seventh plank." She looked at him for a moment, carrying two bags and her up a tree with seemingly no effort.

"You're pretty strong." She stated.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I guess I am. Always have been. No idea why." He reached the top of the ladder and put her down, placing the bags on the wooden floor and stretching. FP stole a glance at his rippling muscles before tearing her attention to the room. It was simply a wooden room, boxlike, with a few furnishings like a table and sofa, and a ladder leading to the next room.

It was bare, but somehow felt lived in. Warm. Then again, that might just be her. She glanced back at Finn, who was on the couch, dusting off a small old games machine, seemingly lost in memories.

Yeah, it was her.

She sat down next to him, taking a moment to bask in her newfound freedom. It was great, the best thing that had ever happened to her… but how long would it last? Her father would notice she was gone eventually, and then he'd scavenge the city for her, not stopping until the whole place was torn apart. He might even kill Finn…

She shook the thoughts from her head. She'd call him later. Explain herself, and tell him he was _way_ too overprotective. And that she'd found someone who could protect her just as well as those teams of jerkwad soldiers.

She suddenly felt stifled. The treehouse was fascinating, she'd never seen a real one before, but she needed to see more, before she was dragged back to her home. _If. If_ she was dragged back to her home. That was important.

She tugged on Finn's shirt, drawing his attention.

"This is cool and all, but… can we see some more stuff? I mean, I want to see everything!" He smiled.

"Sure, I get it. We can head to my place, drop this stuff off and then head to PB's to drop some more stuff off, then go wherev's."

"Awesome!" She bounced to the door, looked down to the ground below and looked back to Finn with a sheepish smile.

"Carry me down?" Finn shouldered the bags and rolled his eyes, grinning.

"Sure."

XXXXXXXXXXXX

When they got to the house, Jake had apparently already gone. Lady got all sorts of cravings nowadays, so he stuck with her a lot of the time. Finn didn't mind. He understood, and was busy with his own work a lot of the time as well.

After whipping Flamme up a dish of pan-cooked, swine-product-containing ambrosia, the two set out again, happily avoiding trouble this time. They soon came to PB's alley, Flamme at first hesitant to follow Finn, until a hand gently squeezed hers in reassurement.

The Banana Guards let them in without trouble, trusting Finn enough to not question the nervous-looking girl walking with him.

They reached PB's office, and Finn knocked on the door. No reply came. Finn knocked again, then pushed the door gently open to reveal an empty room. They strolled in, a quick search revealing the usual occupant to be gone.

A quickly scrawled note sat on the desk, the writing rushed and messy, but elegant.

Flamme picked it up and offered it to Finn. He read it aloud.

_Finn, sorry I'm gone, but Marceline's dragged me out to the Nightosphere. Leave the deeds on my desk and come over. First drink's on me._

Finn dropped the note and sighed, placing the deeds on the desk. Flamme looked at him. He didn't seem happy.

"What's wrong, Finn?" He scratched the back of his head.

"I… don't really like the Nightosphere. Bad stuff happens there a lot and I have to beat people up."

"What is it, anyway?"

"A bar, or a club, or something. I don't really know. It's loud and weird." Flamme didn't know what to expect from something like that outside of a few movies, but it sounded like something she should at least see once.

"So… are you gonna go? Or not?"

"I guess I should. PB wants to talk to me, probably. And I guess you want to see it?" Flamme blushed a little. He just smiled.

"Yeah. You do. Come on, let's go, milady." He did a little bow, and held out a hand. Flamme took it, and they walked out of the room, past two Banana Guards.

They blinked after the two youths holding hands, and turned to each other.

"This is our weird secret, okay?"


End file.
